Cleansing of the Temple esus Christ became my Savior and Lord when I was a young man. I will never forget sitting in church and hearing the J preacher say, “Everyone thinks that you are a Christian, but you know that you are not one.” That stunned me into real- izing that I was not really a Christian. One does not become a Christian by being born into a believing Family, living in a “Christian” country, or by attending a church. I was attending church, living in a home with parents who were Christians, and living in a country where most people attended a Christian place of worship. But I knew I was not a Christian. Being a Christian is not about how you live. Some years ago a young woman said that she was “Christian.” She used the word “Christian” as an adjective. She was describing how she behaved. There are many good people who live better lives than some Christians, but still are not Christians. What is a Christian? This study will answer part of that question. Trip To Capernaum. After the wedding at Cana, Capernaum was located on the northwest coastline of the Jesus traveled down to Capernaum with His mother, and Sea of Galilee. Today, the city is in ruins and is being exca- His brothers, and His disciples. vated by the Roman Catholic order of the Franciscans. Th e excavations started in A.D. 1905 and continue to this day. After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and But in Jesus’ day it was a busy sea port town and was the His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days. home town of Jesus. Today the ruins of an old synagogue (NASB) John 2:12 have been dug out of the grave of time. Is it possible that these ruins are the remains of the synagogue built by a Cleansing of The Temple Copyright © Like The Master Ministries. All Rights Reserved. Study 22 The photograph on this page is used by permission of BiblePlaces.com Cleansing of The Temple 2 Study 22 The photograph on this page is used by permission of BiblePlaces.com Roman centurion who had asked Jesus to heal his servant After Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for the Passover, He went (Luke 7:1-10)? to the temple. We call the temple King Herod’s temple since It appears that this is the time that Jesus moved His King Herod started the construction work. Sometimes it is family from Nazareth to Capernaum. Th e family was relo- also called the second temple, since King Solomon built the cating, and Capernaum would become their home. Since fi rst one. His “assumed-to-be” father, Joseph, was not mentioned, it Court of the Gentiles. When Jesus arrived at the appears that he is already dead. A few days later they trav- temple, He saw animals in the Court of the Gentiles (see the eled south to Jerusalem for the Passover. graphics on page 5). It must have looked like a barnyard with animals standing Th e Passover of and moving, the e the Jews was near, Galile cows mooing, the and Jesus went Capernaum Bethsaida sheep bleating, the up to Jerusalem. doves cooing, and Cana (NASB) John 2:13 with animal drop- pings here and Nazareth In Jerusalem. there. Th e animals Since Capernaum ia were there for the ar is on the coast- m purpose of being a line of the Sea of S sold by “salesmen” Galilee, which is to pilgrims about 686 ft (209 ea who had come for m) below sea level, d the Passover Feast Ju and since Jerusa- who also wanted Jerusalem lem is at a higher to off er a sacrifi ce. altitude of about Th e animals were 2,300 ft (701 m), sold by priests we are told that who served at Jesus went “up” to the temple. Th ey Jerusalem. Pass- would e nc ou r- over occurs one age the pilgrims to time each year in buy their products. the Jewish month We can only imag- of Nisan, which can occur in either late March or April. ine if the “salesmen” had signs or if they were loudly encour- Th is means that the wedding at Cana probably occurred in aging others to buy. With hundreds of people in the court, it March. Th e temperatures would have been about 60-70 deg. must have seemed like a circus. Fahrenheit (15-21 deg. Celsius). When the pilgrims arrived at the Court of the Gentiles, their animals would be inspected by one of the priests. Th is And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and priest was an inspector, called a mumcheh, or “one approved,” sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. who would check to see if the animal was without fl aw. It (NASB) John 2:14 was common for this inspector to fi nd a fl aw in the animal. Th en he would off er to buy the “inferior” animal from the Cleansing of the Temple Photographs on this page are used by permission of BiblePlaces.com Study 22 off erer at a price below the market value. Th e off erer would It is amazing how religious leaders justify their evil conduct then be encouraged to buy a “perfect” animal from one of using God’s Word. So Jesus started using the whip to drive the “salesmen.” But before one could purchase an animal, he the animals away and to scare the people out of the court. or she had to convert currency into “temple money,” because How would you respond to a man who was waving a whip only “temple money” was accepted by the “salesmen.” Th e at you? Most of us would walk or run away quickly. Jesus money changer would assess a tax for converting the off er- also poured the coins onto the ground and turned over the er’s money. Th e off erer would also have to pay a temple tax. tables of the money changers. Some of the coins would be Since the Sadducee, which included most of the priests, rolling along for awhile and fall fl at. Th e clinking of coins, controlled the temple, this was a very profi table business for coins rolling along, the crashing of the tables to the ground, them. Th at is, they took advantage of the religious worship- people yelling, and the hoofs of running animals would ers. Th is is what Jesus saw when He walked onto the Court have been a scene to behold. Th en Jesus responded with, of the Gentiles. “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a Righteous Anger. So Jesus made a whip from a group place of business.” Jesus’ behavior was holy. King David had of smaller cords and went after these priests who justifi ed predicted that He would do this, their conduct by some self-imagined righteousness. His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.” (NASB) John 2:17 temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those Th ese religious leaders were wrong, but they did not care. who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; Th ey were not sensitive to their own sin. So they came to stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” (NASB) John Jesus and challenged Him, demanding to know by what 2:15-16 authority He did this. Cleansing of The Temple 4 Study 22 Th e Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your 19:45-46). Sinning religious leaders are probably the greatest authority for doing these things?” (NASB) John 2:18 sinners because their seared consciences have been warped in a sense that they are God’s servants. Th ey take spiritual We are told that “the Jews” were the ones who came to truth and convince people that their ungodly behavior is Jesus. Th e term “the Jews” refers to members of the Sanhe- godly. Th ey are not truly sensitive to God’s Spirit. drin. Th ey represented the greatest spiritual leaders of Israel Destroy This Temple. Jesus responds to these mem- at the time of Jesus. But these “great spiritual leaders” were bers of the Sanhedrin with the following statement, not really interested in Jesus’ answer. Th ey just wanted Jesus to stop. Th ey were upset with Jesus. Th ese “religious lead- Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will ers” did not have a guilty conscience. Th ey did not care that raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this they were abusing people. Th ey only cared about themselves. temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speak- We know they were not sensitive to God because at the end ing of the temple of His body. (NASB) John 2:19-21 of Jesus’ ministry He cleared the temple once again (Luke Holy of Holies Holy Place Court of the Altar Gentiles Inner Court Outer Court Cleansing of The Temple 5 Study 22 Jesus was talking about His future death which would occur and Jesus knew this.